Strike Heroes: Himebana
by Dilnos521
Summary: Part of a Witch's job in this world is to fight the Neuroi and survive. For the Neuroi Witch (Roland Sage), however, it's hard to tell which is worse: dealing with the Neuroi or the shenanigans his own teammates (and himself) get into between missions. Based on English transcripts for the CDs based on the SW series and will span the "Strike Heroes" series. Rated T for now.
1. Memories of Goggles (Part 1)

**Hello, and welcome to the first chapter of Project Himebana.**

**I do apologize to those who were waiting for this for a while, but I wasn't too sure how to best approach this project until recently.**

**For those who want to know the specifics of how I thought of this project: I got the idea back during the publishing phase of Strike Heroes and announced it at the end along with Project Return (officially **_Strike Heroes 2: Roland's Return_**). The contents you'll find in here will be based on transcripts I found while looking around on the Internet, but there will be some original content as well.**

**Anyways, I've decided to publish this set of stories (the best I can describe it) along with the first chapter of Strike Heroes; Wings of Freedom, but this won't be on the same schedule as the main story...at least, not yet. As an added bonus, I'm going to be publishing the second part right after this one so be ready.**

**Also, I need to say this before we get started: I do not own anything here except for Roland and any characters I created during the course of the **_Strike Heroes_ **series or will (probably) make during the course of this story. Anything having to do with Strike Witches belongs to their creators, and I also want to thank the people who made the English transcript for making this possible (I don't know who translated them right now seeing as it's been a while since I found the transcripts, but thanks should definitely go out to them for it).**

**So without further ado, I present to you the first of two parts of the opening tale here.**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Memories of Goggles (Part 1)**

Charlotte "Shirley" Yeager pulled into the hangar on her motorcycle after performing a test drive for checking the bike's capabilities. Luckily for the buxom Liberion Witch, there wasn't anyone inside the hangar right now...though the roar of her engine didn't really seem to help out.

"Mm, what a beautiful sound!" she noted as she put the kickstand down and hopped off the vehicle. "It's in great condition!"

Well, at least the engine sounded healthy. For a motorcycle engine, at least.

"Shirley!" Francesca Lucchini shouted as she ran up to the Liberion Witch and hugged her tightly. "Welcome back!"

"Hey, Lucchini," Charlotte said in return. "I'm back!"

"Oh?" Francesca noticed a pair of new goggles hanging out of Charlotte's pocket. "You have new goggles?"

Charlotte chuckled as she pulled out said goggles. "Don't they look cool?"

"Yeah!" Francesca hugged Charlotte tighter before something crossed her mind. "Hey, hey, Shirley..."

Charlotte somehow picked up instantly on what she was about to ask, and she was quick in her reply. "No! You can't have them."

Francesca gave off a whine. "I haven't said anything yet...!"

"It's written all over your face."

"Eh?"

Charlotte sighed and, taking off the goggles the Romagnan Witch wanted (it was the best thing she could make a guess towards what thing the Romagnan Witch was about to ask about) from around her head and holding it inside her left hand, backed out of the hug. "Yeah, look." She then stepped up to Francesca and lightly placed her right index finger on the Romagnan Witch's forehead. "Here on your forehead." She then moved her finger across Francesca's forehead. "It says 'I want them'."

Francesca backed up quickly in surprise. "Don't make fun of me like that!"

Charlotte laughed. "I'm just kidding..." Her face then turned serious. "But even if you're asking, I can't give these away..."

"Come on, that's cheap!" Francesca threw her arms at her sides, making a patting sound. She then lunged for the goggles, Charlotte keeping her away with her right hand. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"

"If you want goggles, then they're selling new ones almost everywhere." Charlotte held up her old goggles a little higher. "Wouldn't you rather have new ones than these worn-out ones?"

"I don't want new ones, I want those!" Francesca pointed at the goggles in Charlotte's hand.

"Hmm…" Charlotte shook her head. "Sorry but…"

Francesca backed off abruptly. "Hmph! Shirley, you're so cheap!"

As the Romagnan Witch stormed off, Charlotte tried calling her back. "Ah, hey! Lucchini!" She then looked at the old goggles in her left hand. "…I've used these goggles for a long time while racing; I had them on when I broke the record in Bonneville Salt Flats, and they're about the only thing that hold the memories I shared with Draco while I'm here. I can't just give them to Lucchini even if she begs me for them..."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Good morning, Shirley!" Francesca called out cheerfully as she skipped into the living room the next morning. She looked around the room, but the only people she could see in there were Yoshika Miyafuji and Lynette "Lynne" Bishop. "Oh?" She looked confused. "She's not here…"

Yoshika and Lynette noticed her quickly.

"Good morning, Lucchini!" they said at the same time.

Francesca instantly skipped up to them.

"Yoshika, Lynne," she started, "have you seen Shirley?"

"Shirley?" Yoshika asked, looking surprised. She then shook her head. "No, I haven't seen her." Turning to Lynette, she added, "Lynne?"

"I haven't seen her either," Lynette admitted.

"Oh…" Francesca looked bummed out before she got an idea. "Hey, have you seen Roland?"

"Roland-kun?" Yoshika repeated, using her nickname for Roland. "I think I saw him in the halls when I got up."

"That's right!" Lynette added. "I think he said that he was going to the shooting range for some gun training when I saw him earlier. Maybe you could try there?"

"Okay!" Francesca shouted as she ran off to find Roland. "Thanks, you two!"

"Lucchini!" Yoshika tried to call, but the Romagnan Witch was gone. "…She's gone."

"I wonder what she wanted…" Lynette mused.

"Yeah…"

XXXXXXXXXX

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Lieutenant Roland Sage was getting into the groove for his gun training, using a Browning HP pistol to shoot at a few targets. His green aura was active, yet no animal features could be seen on his body.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

He had been at this for a while, using ammunition he had personally asked for from Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke. While she had found it odd that he was requesting ammo for a handgun, she happily had him put in the proper paperwork. The ammo had just arrived yesterday, so he was going to put them to some good use.

BANG! CLICK! CLICK!

"Huh?" Roland asked himself as he looked at his gun, the barrel still pointed towards the target downrange. He figured out that he had fired off his last round for the clip, and he quickly pressed a button to release the empty clip, catching it in his left hand. As he put the empty clip down and reached onto the table in front of him for a full clip, he felt a disturbance in his surroundings, and thinking quickly he pointed his gun…

At Francesca, who jumped quickly in surprise.

"Eep!" she shouted.

"Eh?" Roland asked as he blinked and looked at the Romagnan Witch. "Sorry, Francesca." He lowered his gun and turned around, the male Witch setting it on the table after checking it to make sure it was considered "safe". His step-father had trained him in how to fire a gun, and one important rule he remembered was to "always assume the gun is loaded, even if it's completely dismantled". Turning back to face his uninvited guest, he asked her, "You okay?"

"Hmm?" Francesca asked as she looked at Roland in slight fear. Realizing that he was unarmed now, she sighed in relief. "Oh. Sorry for interrupting whatever it was you were doing…"

"Sorry about that, but I thought you were told not to sneak up on people like that."

Francesca let that fly over her head. "Hey, Roland, have you seen Shirley?"

"Shirley? Well…depends. Does she have orange hair? A body most girls I know would be envious of? Broke the land speed record?"

"Yeah, that one, you dolt!"

Roland cringed playfully. "Actually, I don't know. I didn't see her this morning."

"Ah…" Francesca looked at the ground in sadness.

"Hey, buck up, kiddo." Roland placed his right index finger under her chin as his right thumb rested in front of it. He then lifted her chin up gently, giving off a smile. "I'm sure you'll find her. Here, I'll even help you. Let me just put a few things away, okay?"

Francesca blinked before giving off a nod. "Alright, Roland."

XXXXXXXXX

"Shirley!" Roland said as he and Francesca stepped into the dining room, trying to locate Charlotte's whereabouts.

"Food!" Francesca added.

"Stop making a racket so early in the morning, you two!" Gertrud Barkhorn snapped as she and Erica Hartmann were sitting at the table, eating breakfast. The breakfast consisted of potatoes, eggs, and sausages.

"Sorry, captain," Roland apologized.

Erica was more interested in the potatoes on Gertrud's plate. "Trude, give me a potato!" She then made to lunge for it, only to be stopped by Gertrud. "Potato!"

"Don't steal my breakfast! Did you wake up this early for once just to take my potatoes?"

Roland gained a sweat drop (one of the perks of being in an anime was the ability to have that occur. At least, last he checked no one was able to actually gain a sweat drop on the back of their head like this in his world) as Erica replied with, "Oh come on! You could at least give me one!"

"Oh…" Francesca said as she took in the spectacle. "Shirley isn't here either…"

"Ya think?" Roland asked dryly.

"Hey, have you seen Shirley?"

Gertrud looked at the duo and said, "I haven't seen her…"

"Me neither," Erica added.

"Figures…" Roland muttered.

"I see…" Francesca said in return. "She's not here either…Then where could she be?"

Gertrud didn't answer that question immediately, instead choosing to ask one of her own.

"Shouldn't you two eat some breakfast?" she asked. "We have _Eintopf_, _Weißwurst_, and rye bread today."

"The potato is mine!" Erica called out as she retried her attempt to get one of Gertrud's potatoes, being stopped once again.

"Hey, Hartmann!"

"Oh, I know!" Francesca said quickly. "She must be in the bath!"

"Bath?" Roland asked as a slight shade of red appeared across his face. Being the only male Witch on a team of females, he wasn't really too thrilled by the idea of looking into the bath area.

"Hey, Lucchini," Gertrud told her, "you have to be a good girl and eat breakfast or you won't grow!"

"Actually, breakfast doesn't sound like a bad idea..." It wasn't that Roland didn't want to help find Charlotte, but if she was really in the bath then he didn't want to faint again.

"I'll eat later!" Francesca shouted as she grabbed the male Witch and left, dragging Roland behind her by the collar of his shirt.

Roland found himself struggling to get the Romagnan Witch to let go of his shirt. "Hey, Francesca! Leggo!"

"I do say..." Gertrud said as she sighed. "Shirley isn't having it easy either...And neither is Sage..." She looked at her plate and noticed something off; there was now a surprisingly lack of a certain food item. "Hey! My potatoes!"

"I ate them all," Erica told her as she patted her stomach in contentment, a smile on her face.

Gertrud growled. "Argh! Give them back!"

"Too late, they're gone."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Shirley!" Francesca shouted as she and Roland stepped into the bath, Roland's eyes darting to and fro hesitantly. "I know you're in here!"

"Ah, Lucchini," Mio Sakamoto said as she called out to them from the bath water. "Sage, here for a morning bath?"

"Huh?" Roland asked as he looked at the major. It only took a microsecond for his light blush to explode into a bright red as he frantically used his right hand to shield his eyes. "Augh! You girls really need to put up some sort of sign outside the bath, jeez!"

"Ah, Major..." Francesca said as she groaned. To her, Mio was the last person she wanted to see right now...

"Yeah, I got a little sweaty after morning practice," Mio told them. "What do you say, do you two want to join me and train late-"

"Nope!" Francesca was both quick and adamant in her answer.

"It's important to keep practicing, you know!" Mio scolded the Romagnan Witch.

Roland was more hesitant, as indicated by his tone: "Well, I could take you up on the training offer, but the bath..."

"Anyways, more importantly, have you seen Shirley?" Francesca chose to ask.

"Yeah, I saw her in the hangar a while ago," Mio told them.

"Thanks!" She grabbed Roland by the shirt yet again and dragged him out, the male Witch protesting along the way.

"Hey! Don't forget to close the door...!" Mio realized that they were gone. "She ran away...and with Sage too..." She then noticed Perrine Clostermann standing there, looking a little reserved. "Oh? What are you doing there, Perrine?"

"Ah, umm..." Perrine started as she tried thinking of how to form her question. "Major Sakamoto, would if it be alright if I joined you...?"

Mio frowned slightly. "What are you being so reserved for? Rank doesn't matter in the bath."

Perrine cheered up instantly. "Yes!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Shirley!" Francesca said as she ran into the hangar, Roland being dragged behind against his will. "Found you!" She looked around quickly before realizing that the buxom Witch wasn't in there. "...She's not here..."

"Can I please stop being dragged around now?" Roland asked her. He was surprised that Francesca was even able to drag his weight behind her. Hopefully this wasn't a gag that he was going to be subjected to for a while.

Francesca didn't reply, instead dragging Roland deeper into the hangar as she continued looking, specifically where Charlotte's Striker Unit rested.

"Haha!" Francesca shouted as she found the Striker Unit. "Shirley!" Instead, she found Eila Illmatar Juutilainen and Sanya Litvyak nearby, the Orussian Witch looking like she had just gotten off night patrol. "Oh, it's just Sanya."

Eila took some time to look at Francesca as the Romagnan Witch let go of Roland's shirt, making the male Witch flop onto the ground with a soft thud.

"What do you mean by 'just Sanya'?" the Suomos Witch asked, feeling insulted.

"Hmm?" Sanya asked as she looked from Eila to Francesca and a now-lying-down Roland. "Lucchini, Roland, what are you two doing here?"

"Getting dragged around..." Roland groaned as he sat up. "No thanks to Miss Pull here."

"Sanya," Francesca began, "have you seen Shirley?"

"No, I haven't seen her."

"Okay...Thanks anyway..."

"Hey, don't act like I'm not here!" Eila snapped.

"Oh, yes," Sanya decided to add. "But I saw a motorbike heading towards town earlier this morning."

"You did, huh?" Roland asked her. Checking his surroundings, he realized that Charlotte's vehicle was indeed gone.

"Oh?" Francesca asked as she looked around as well. "Ah, yeah, Shirley's bike isn't here!"

"Stop ignoring me..." Eila groaned.

"Where did Shirley go...?"

Eila sighed. "If you're that curious, why don't you ask Commander Minna?"

"Yes, I don't think she would go out without telling anyone," Sanya added in agreement. "She probably told Commander Minna where she went."

"I see!" Francesca said while nodding her head. "Thanks, Sanya!" She hugged Sanya quickly before running off to find the commander, leaving Roland there.

"Come on, stop ignoring me!" Eila shouted, still irritated.

"Oi..." Roland said to himself as he shook his head. "She's something..."

"Lucchini is always so energetic..." Sanya said as she started swaying from side to side.

Roland noticed the movement and raised an eyebrow. "Uh-oh. San?"

"Sanya?" Eila asked as she looked at her friend. "Are you alright? We better get you in bed..."

Sanya fell to the ground, and only Eila's prediction allowed her to get up and catch her in time to keep the Orussian Witch from hitting the ground.

"...Ah, Sanya is..." Eila said as she lifted a sleeping (or unconscious) Sanya up onto her feet. Or, rather, as much onto her feet as the Suomos Witch could manage. "I better carry her..."

"Let me help," Roland offered.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minna was busy going through some paperwork when she heard footsteps in the halls.

Actually, she already knew Francesca was coming thanks to her magic, and she was right as the Romagnan Witch burst into the room, barely panting.

"Commander Minna, where's Shirley!?" she asked quickly.

"Lucchini, let's knock before we enter, okay?" Minna told her calmly as she looked up from her task, a quill in her right hand. "Also, we don't run in the hallway. Okay?" Somehow, she sounded more like a mother with that statement, but then again she had that sort of air around others.

Francesca blinked quickly in surprise. "Y-yes!"

"Okay, good. So what was it you wanted?"

"Eh, Commander Minna, where is Shirley?" Francesca still sounded hyper.

Minna chuckled lightly. "Calm down a little."

Francesca took a deep breath and tried again. "Y-yes...Um, I was going to ask, where is Shirley?"

"Shirley? Yes, she was here this morning asking for permission to leave."

"Where did she go?" Francesca sounded curious.

"Well, according to the rules, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but she went to London."

Francesca's next sentence sounded down. "I see..."

"If you want to really badly, I can try to contact her if you want."

"No..." Francesca shook her head. "It's okay..."

"Really? Then, good luck with training today."

"Yes..." Francesca walked out of the room, feeling depressed.

Minna noted Francesca's current mood. "She seemed kind of down. I wonder: is she's alright?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Roland was busy eating breakfast with Yoshika and Lynette (after escorting Eila and a sleeping Sanya to the Suomos Witch's room, a fact the male Witch chose not to ask into) when they saw Francesca enter the dining room, looking upset.

"I can't believe Shirley left without telling me..." the Romagnan Witch was telling herself. "She's never done that before...Maybe she's angry at me..."

"Lucchini, what's wrong?" Yoshika asked as she looked at Francesca.

Francesca looked at Yoshika and the others. "Ah, Yoshika...I think I made Shirley angry."

"Eh? Shirley?"

"How?" Roland asked.

"Lucchini, what happened?" Lynette asked next.

"Well..." Francesca began as she explained what happened yesterday, serving herself breakfast as she talked.

Once she was finished explaining the situation while eating, Yoshika thought about it for a while.

"Hmm," she began, "I don't think she's angry..."

"I'm sure there was just something she had to do," Lynette added.

"This is Shirley we're talking about," Roland replied. "I'm almost certain that she's not angry. Especially not towards you. Though I'm not sure about trashing her Striker Unit, even if you put it back together without much of an idea on how she had it..."

"You think?" Francesca asked, confused. "But..."

Yoshika then got an idea. "Well then, how about making some sweets to give her when she gets back?"

"Sweets?" the Romagnan Witch and Roland both asked.

"As a gift to say 'I'm sorry'," Lynette explained. "We'll help you!"

Francesca instantly became cheerful once she heard that. "Okay! Let's do it!" She then bolted into the kitchen.

"Ah, Lucchini, wait!" Yoshika shouted as she jumped up and ran after the Romagnan Witch.

"Yoshika, Lucchini, wait for me!" Lynette shouted as she followed suit.

Roland simply stood up slowly and casually walked into the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Yoshika, Lynne, what are we going to make?" Francesca asked as she realized that she had no idea what to make for her friend.

"We just recently got some supplies from Fuso, so I was thinking we could make some Fuso sweets," Yoshika suggested.

"Fuso sweets?" Roland asked as he was busy washing his hands. The male Witch was trying to figure out what was in the little Fuso Witch's definition of "Fuso sweets".

"I'll make some scones and shortbread then!" Lynette announced.

"I'll help you both out!" Francesca announced.

"Same here," Roland said as he turned off the water.

"Yeah, thanks, you two," Yoshika said cheerfully.

They had started working on the preparations when Mio and Perrine walked into the kitchen.

"Taking a bath after training feels great!" the major stated.

"Yes, indeed!" Perrine added proudly.

Mio instantly noticed what the girls and Roland were doing. "Oh, what are you four doing?"

Yoshika looked up from her task and noticed the newcomers.

"Sakamoto!" she said, surprised. "Perrine!"

Roland, once he lifted his head from helping Lynette with something and turned to look at them, noted that Perrine looked slightly less annoyed at Yoshika's statement than usual.

"We're making sweets for Shirley!" Francesca said cheerfully as she was busy helping Yoshika out.

"Oh, sounds fun," Mio said as she walked up to Yoshika. "Mind if I give you a hand?"

"No, please do," Yoshika said as she nodded her head.

"If the major is going to help out, then..." Perrine started.

"Then perhaps you could help me and Roland, Perrine," Lynette suggested.

Perrine was surprised. "Eh, well, I was thinking of helping Major Sakamoto out but..."

"Alright!" Mio stated as she washed her hands. "If you help Lynne and Sage out, I'll help Miyafuji and Lucchini."

"Yes please!" Yoshika said excitedly.

"Yay!" Francesca said cheerfully. "Let's hurry up and make some sweets!"

Perrine growled to herself.

"Argh...I guess I have no choice..." the Gallian Witch said to herself before turning to Lynette and Roland. "Lynne, Lieutenant Sage, what do you want me to do?"

"You can start with sieving the flour..." Lynette said.

XXXXXXXXXX

A while later, and the group were still gathering the materials for the treats and had even started to make them.

Well, the girls were doing it; one thing that the other Witches on the base could agree on was that it was generally not a good idea to have Roland use something without at least watching how to use it. Case in point, the toaster: given it took him a few minutes of staring at the device, two slices of bread in his hands ready for toasting, before he ended up asking Yoshika about where to stick the slices (thinking back on it, Yoshika was a little uncertain about whether she should have helped him out before then considering his confused look), Roland had no clue about how to operate some of the appliances. So for now, he was watching the girls at work while he scribbled down some notes or something.

"What are you making, Miyafuji?" Mio asked the younger Fuso Witch as Yoshika set down two bowls containing some ingredients.

"We have some glutinous rice and azuki beans, so I was thinking of making _maroon zenzai_," Yoshika explained.

"Maroon zenzai?" Roland asked as he looked up from his scribbling, confused. "What's that?"

Yoshika took some time to explain it, but Roland still wasn't too sure (he simply placed the word down on the paper and made a mental note to do some research about it to get a better idea of it).

"Yoshika, what is this hammer!?" Francesca asked as she lifted up a rather large mallet. The mallet looked like its length exceeded a meter.

"Whoa!" Roland shouted as he barely ducked under an accidental swing from the Romagnan Witch. "Watch where you swing that, Francesca!"

"It's called a _kine_," Yoshika replied as she gently took the mallet away from Francesca. "You take the glutinous rice that we're cooking right now, put it in a large mortar, the _usu_, and pound it with this."

"Kine?" Francesca asked.

"Usu?" Perrine asked, confused. "I don't understand."

"Looks like a hammer to me..." Roland noted as he eyed the kine.

_Kirby for the win?_ The male Witch asked himself.

"I had heard new supplies from Fuso had arrived, but I can't believe they sent things like this to us," Mio said as she was trying to figure out why there were those items in the last shipment of supplies.

"Yes, it seems like it got mixed in with the rest of the luggage..." Yoshika admitted.

"Okay, leave the _mochi_ pounding to me!"

"Okay, thanks!" Yoshika smiled cheerfully. "It should be done soon..."

XXXXXXXXXX

A longer while later, the kitchen had a pleasant smell inside.

More accurately, the area had a pleasant mix of all the treats being made so far (which was consisting of materials for "maroon zenzai", scones, and shortbread so far).

"Oh!" Francesca said as she noticed the smell. "What's that smell?!"

"Oh yes, it smells really good!" Lynette complimented.

"Does it really smell that good?" Perrine asked, confused. She sniffed the air around them gently.

"Smells like normal rice to me..." Roland noted. "I think." He couldn't currently remember if rice had an aroma when cooked.

"Ah, yes, the smell of freshly cooked rice is great," Mio commented.

"You can eat it like this as well!" Yoshika commented as she scooped out a little bit of the rice. "Just add a little sesame seeds and salt..." She proceeded to put the items in question on the rice once she formed it into a particular shape.

"Oh, _okowa_. Let me have some."

Yoshika handed Mio one of the treats she made on the spot.

"I want some too!" Francesca added.

"Okay, here you go," Yoshika replied as she handed Francesca an _okowa_ treat.

"Thanks!" Francesca said in return. It took her a while before she felt her hands starting to burn. "...Ah! It's hot, it's hot!"

"Ha ha ha," Mio said in amusement, "well, it was just cooked, so that's a given!"

"Oh..." Francesca tried the treat after blowing on it. "It's sticky yet it's springy and tastes pretty good..."

Roland opened his mouth to ask for one, but he decided not to. He was going to be eating it later on anyways.

Yoshika had given one to Lynette, who tried it and said, "It tastes very good, Yoshika!"

"Well then, let's pound away!" Mio announced. "Miyafuji, help me out with the water."

"I'll help too!" Francesca shouted as she joined the major and Yoshika.

XXXXXXXXXX

A few minutes after, and it was feeling like a race. In fact, Roland could barely keep up with the instructions given to him by Lynette as he was busy cycling through the instructions as fast as he could.

Perrine took a look at how Team Miyafuji was doing and was surprised.

"Lynne, lieutenant, we can't lose to them!" she stated.

"Trying here..." Roland said. He was working on remembering the next thing that needed to be dealt with.

"Eh?" Lynette asked as she focused on her treats. The rest of her sentence was some instructions. "Yes...then, put some butter in the bowl and..."

"Like this?"

Roland grabbed the butter out of the fridge (they had left it there until they needed it) and had Perrine measure the material out before putting it into the bowl.

"Um, make it a little more thick..." Lynette started.

"Little more thick?" Roland asked.

"Hmm, this was harder than I thought..." Perrine noted to herself.

XXXXXXXXX

"What's that sound?" Gertrud asked as she and Erica entered the kitchen. The Karlsland captain had been busy trying to get her blond-haired teammate to get up for the day (the usual, really) when she started hearing some pounding sounds. Curious, she had come here to investigate.

"Something smells good!" Erica noted as she sniffed the air.

"Ah!" Francesca shouted as she turned around and spotted the newcomers. "It's Captain Barkhorn and Hartmann!"

Sadly, she was holding the kine, and Roland just so happened to be passing by (luckily without anything in his hands), so...

Cue the male Witch being slammed in the forehead by a wooden mallet.

WHACK!

"OW!" Roland shouted as he fell onto his rear, holding his forehead in pain. "Lucchini! That hurts, dammit!"

"Sorry!" Francesca apologized as she looked at the captain and Erica.

"Ah, Lucchini, Sage," Gertrud said as she noticed the two from earlier. "Did you eat your breakfast?"

Francesca nodded her head. "Yup! We just did with Yoshika!"

"Weren't the potatoes good?" Erica asked them.

"Definitely," Roland groaned as he stood up, his hands still holding his forehead in pain.

"I liked the sausages better," Francesca admitted.

"Eh?" Erica asked her in shock. "Really?"

"Ehm," Gertrud started as she eyed the _kine_, now in Mio's hands, "what's with that huge hammer Major Sakamoto has?"

"It's a tool to make a kind of sweets from Fuso called _omochi_ with!" Lynette proudly explained.

"Lucchini wanted..." Mio began.

"...to make some.." Roland continued, a pained tone in his voice.

"...sweets for Shirley," Yoshika finished.

"Looks fun!" Erica observed. "Can I try?"

"No, you can't," Gertrud told her.

Erica looked at the captain in shock. "Why?!"

"Nothing good can come out of you helping out with making sweets."

"What do you mean by that? I just want to help out!" the blond-haired Karlsland Witch crossed her arms and turned away from Gertrud as she huffed. "You're so cold! Heartless!"

"Wha-" Gertrud stopped herself and gave it some thought. "...Well then, I guess I have to join in as well then."

Francesca and Roland were both surprised.

"Um, captain?" the male Witch asked. "Pardon me for asking just in case, but...you know how to make sweets too?"

"Of course!" Gertrud stated proudly. "Making sweets is a form of science! You have to have the right amount of ingredients, time, and the right techniques. It's very fitting for a Karlslander!"

Roland blinked in surprise. "And you even take cooking seriously..."

"Stop giving a speech," Erica added as she became cheerful once again, "we have to start working!"

Gertrud shook her head to focus.

"...Yeah," the brown-haired Karlsland Witch said before she checked something. "But if we're going to join in as well, this kitchen might be a little small."

"Indeed, you have a point there," Perrine acknowledged.

"Would be kind of dumb for eight people to be in the kitchen," Roland noted. "We can barely fit six."

"Okay, I'll go talk to Minna about this," Gertrud announced as she left the area.

XXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, inside a certain wing commander's office, Minna was busy reading some more paperwork when she heard someone knocking on the door.

"Yes?" the commander asked as she looked up. "Come in."

Gertrud opened the door and stepped into the room.

"Sorry to bother you, Minna," she told the wing commander.

"Ah, Trude," Minna replied, using Gertrud's informal nickname, "something on your mind?"

"Well, see..." Gertrud gained a slight blush as she was trying to explain it as best as she could without sounding too mushy or something. "Making sweets..."

Minna was confused. "Making sweets?"

Gertrud shook her head and recovered quickly. "Yeah, it seems like Lucchini wants us all to make sweets for Shirley."

"It's a little early for _Saturnalia_, isn't it?"

"You're right, it's not _Saturnalia_, but preparing and giving away gifts can be a pretty good way to deepen friendships, don't you think?" The Karlsland captain thought about what else she needed to add before she thought of something. "Oh, and by the way, before I forget...Lieutenant Sage is helping out as well."

"Roland?" Minna gained a slight blush. "Well, it's nice to see that the lieutenant is helping out. That, and it's good to hear you say something like that."

Gertrud blinked. "What do you mean by that? I'm just thinking those Liberions who just eat strange things need some of Karlsland's more refined sweets..."

Like Roland? Minna thought. The male Witch seemed to be the closest to Mio in terms of eating, willing to consume most of the food and drinks the girls made. There were some exceptions, though, like alcohol-based drinks (no idea why a lieutenant of his age didn't want to drink beyond "not drinking while on duty"). The commander waved her right hand in the air. "Yes, yes."

"So? Do I have your permission?"

Minna lowered her hand and nodded with a smile. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Good. I'll go tell everyone else!" Gertrud walked halfway out the doorway when she remembered something. "Oh, if you have time, could you make _that_?" She stressed the word "that".

"That? You mean _Baumkuchen_?"

"Yes, it was very good the last time you made it." Gertrud left the area.

Minna looked at the doorway. "Oh, Trude, you...I wonder if Roland's ever had any Karlsland treats..."

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Alright, there's the first chapter for the beginning of this series. Like I said, the second part will be published right after this one.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading this story, and I'll see you guys in a bit.**


	2. Memories of Goggles (Part 2)

**...And I'm back. Got side-tracked for a bit there, but then again I did get here rather fast.**

**Anyways, welcome to the second part of the memory (in case you saved this half of the double-feature for later). Otherwise...well, welcome.**

**Sorry, not really much of a difference, is there? I mean, you're reading this anyways whether you came here right after the first part of a month from now or something. It wouldn't really matter unless you happen to be the Doctor or some sort of time traveler and came back after a decade or something because you forgot about this part-**

_**Will you just get going on the story please?**_

**Ah, right. Sorry about that. Apparently, I'm baby-sitting Lionelis for a while.**

**Anyways, I present to you Part 2 of the current memory...**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Memories of Goggles (Part 2)**

"Minna gave us permission!" Gertrud said as she returned to the kitchen. She had made a side-trip while returning to the kitchen and was carrying an assortment of things in her arms, though somehow not all of them looked like they should be used for cooking.

"Barkhorn," Yoshika began as she eyed the items. "what are all those utensils for?"

"Are you going to conduct a science experiment or something?" Perrine added.

"'Night of the Living Sweets'..." Roland mused. Somehow, if things turned out like that, then it was going to be easy to kill them. Just sic some hungry people on them.

"As I told you before," Gertrud informed them, "making sweets is a form of science. It's very important that the amounts are correct and that you have full control over the time." She then set the supplies down on the table and started reading them off as she sorted them out. "Scales, measurement cup, mixer, sieve, a dozen apples..."

"Argh," Erica groaned as Roland poked the scales that Gertrud had brought into play, "just preparing takes so much time when Trude is going to bake sweets..."

Gertrud looked at her blond-haired Karlsland teammate. "What do you mean, Hartmann? Just getting one gram wrong might mean that it won't taste as good as it could have!"

"It's okay to improvise, you know!" Erica soon spotted the apples in Gertrud's pile, and her eyes lit up almost instantly. "Ah, I'll have an apple." Erica then proceeded to grab one.

"Ah, Hartmann! That's an apple for the _apfelkuhen_..."

"_Apfelkuhen_?" Roland asked.

"I want one too!" Francesca shouted as she grabbed an apple as well.

The girls bit into the apple and were immediately surprised, their lips puckering up.

"It's sour!" they shouted as one.

"Huh?" Roland asked as he took the apple from Erica and tried it. Somehow, it was similar to a Granny Smith in taste.

"That's what I was trying to tell you..." Gertrud said before she groaned.

"Miyafuji," Mio stated as she grabbed the _kine_, "I'll take the _usu_ and the _kine_ to the dining hall."

"Eh?" Yoshika asked as she looked at the major. "But we're done with it already."

"You're only going to make this much?" Mio pointed to a medium-sized bowl of glutinous rice, which contained the _mochi_ that had been pounded so far.

Yoshika looked a little unsure. "Well, there's still glutinous rice left but..."

"Well then, no need to hold back. We can keep it preserved, so let's make some more."

The little Fuso Witch tilted her head to her left. "I didn't know you liked _omochi _that much."

"What are you talking about? We have to give some to the mechanics, the other soldiers stationed here, and the other personnel around here."

"Makes sense..." Roland added as he blinked in surprise. "Not really good to leave anyone out..."

"Eh?" Yoshika asked before she corrected her head and nodded in agreement. "Ah, right." She then looked hesitant. "Is it really okay to give sweets away like that?"

"Sure," Mio told her, "we even have permission from Minna. It's not a problem."

"I see." Yoshika nodded her head again. "I got scolded pretty badly last time, so..."

"Ah," Roland said. He could understand, considering that he had been talked to about some of his more rash actions, including using some of the personnel to practice hand-to-hand combat with. Luckily, those guys knew how to defend themselves, so it wasn't a complete loss for him.

Mio laughed and added, "Minna worries too much."

"Who worries too much, Major Sakamoto?" Minna asked as she entered the kitchen.

Roland gave himself a face palm; he never quite understood the oddness of something happening when a statement like that was said. The last instance like this was when Perrine was criticizing Yoshika about the cod-liver oil (it was still somewhat hilarious to have seen her reaction in person).

"Ah!" Yoshika shouted as she saw the commander. "Commander Minna!"

Mio decided to change gears, as indicated by her next line: "It is thanks to the fact that Minna worries so much about us we can fight feeling relatively safe." Turning to Minna, she instantly performed a bow. "Thank you."

"Really..." Minna crossed her arms. "Witches from Fuso..."

"Let's go, Miyafuji!" Mio turned around and resumed her duties.

"Yes!" Yoshika added. "Bring it on!"

Minna watched for a while while Mio and Yoshika used the _kine _and the _usu_.

"...Sweets from Fuso seem really odd..." she noted.

"You okay, commander?" Roland asked as he approached her.

"Ah. Roland...I see Trude wasn't lying when she said you were helping. So, how's it going so far?"

"Rather well, I guess. Though...I never really had a lot of treats from other places..."

Minna gave off a smile. "I'm sure that it'll be a fun experience for you, lieutenant."

"Thanks, commander." Roland gave off a smile in return.

Minna didn't quite understand why Roland referred to her by her rank (and name if he felt like it), but she didn't really mind: they talk casually every once in a while, so it wasn't too bad.

"What's going on here?" Eila asked as she and Sanya entered the kitchen now, the Suomos Witch rubbing her eyes. "You're making so much noise I can't sleep!"

Sanya took a quick sniff and smiled slightly.

"Something smells good..." the Orussian Witch commented. She then looked at the gang. "What are you guys doing?"

Francesca looked at the duo that entered the area.

"Ah, Sanya!" she shouted out cheerfully.

"I told you to stop ignoring me!" Eila shouted in frustration.

Francesca blinked in surprise. "Oh? You're here too, Eila?"

"I was here from the start!"

Francesca motioned to the commotion around them. "We're all making sweets for Shirley!"

"Looks fun," Sanya said as she came up to Roland, "can I help?"

"Sure you can," Roland replied as he patted her head lightly. "We can never have too much help."

"Ah, sweets," Eila said as she put the pieces together in her mind. "I'll help too. I just had some _salmiakki_ sent to me."

"Saru..." Francesca started.

"...Mickey?" Roland finished, blinking in confusion. What did a Disney character have to do with making sweets?

"_Salmiakki_," Eila corrected them. "It's a traditional type of candy from Suomos."

"Oh!" Francesca said as her eyes lit up. "Show me!"

"Lucchini, you better not..." Sanya tried to warn the Romagnan Witch.

"Here!" Eila added as she produced a small, black-colored, square-shaped piece of candy. "This is _salmiakki_."

Roland took some time to examine the candy. For some reason, he was a little unsure about what it was exactly.

"It's black and square-shaped..." Francesca observed, pointing out the obvious color and shape. "Looks kind of disgusting!"

"Looks like chocolate..." Roland noted. It was definitely not chocolate to him, but that was the best he could do for a comparison.

"But it's not!" Eila said as a defense.

"Really?" Francesca asked in surprise. "Then I'll try one!" She took the _salmiakki_ from Eila and set it inside her mouth. "...It's soft..." She then tasted it for a while before she looked surprised. "...uwah...what's this? So salty...!" She then looked more surprised. "It tastes strange...!" She then realized what she needed to find. "...Water!"

As the Romagnan Witch went off to find said liquid, Eila was shocked. "Eh? Why? It tastes so good..." She looked at Minna.

"Hmm?" the commander asked as she realized she was being looked at. "Oh yes, you're right. It tastes really good!"

"Ah, Commander Minna knows what she's talking about!" Eila gave off a smile.

"Uh, I don't..." Roland stated, confused.

"Commander Minna..." Sanya tried before something interrupted her.

"Eek!" Francesca cried as she was trying to fix her problem. She had found some sort of liquid and, not thinking of anything else except for getting rid of the salty taste that was still lingering in her mouth, tried drinking it. Sadly, it was not the best idea.

"Lucchini, that's not water," Lynette said next, "it's liqueur to use for cooking!"

Soon, there was a thud, and Roland turned around to see Francesca on the ground back first, unconscious. Lynette was standing over the Romagnan Witch, a look of panic on her face.

"Francesca?" Roland asked as he walked up to the Romagnan Witch.

"Lucchini?!" Lynette asked, sounding panicked. She then shook Francesca's right shoulder a little. "Are you alright?!"

"Eila?" Perrine asked quickly. "What in the world did you give her?!"

"Come on," Eila said defensively, "it's my fault?"

"Cool it, you two," Roland told them. He really didn't want to have more drama on his hands at the moment; an unconscious Francesca was already enough.

"Let's let her lie down in that chair over there," Sanya said as she pointed to the nearest chair in the dining hall. "Also, we'll help out with making sweets!"

"Sanya, you can make sweets too?" Lynette asked the Orussian Witch as Roland picked the Romagnan Witch up bridal-style and walked over to the chair in question, setting her in it gently.

"Of course she can!" Eila retorted quickly. "Sanya is really good at it too!"

"That's not something you should be proud of, now is it?" Perrine asked.

Roland sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his right thumb and index finger in irritation.

"Can it please, Perrine," he stated.

"Hmph," Eila huffed. "Well, can you?"

"Don't be rude!" Perrine snapped. "A cake or two, it's easy!"

"Really~?" Eila smirked. "Like what?"

"Eh?" Perrine realized that she had been backed into a path of the conversation she was not aware of. "Well, _Brioche_..._Éclair_... and _Chou à la crème_!"

"Wow, that's great!" Lynette commented cheerfully. "I want to try making _chou à la crème_!"

"Perrine, that's amazing!" Sanya added.

"Yeah, that's pretty good..." Eila said, a little bummed out.

"I agree," Roland said before he shook his head and tilted it to his left. "Um, what are we talking about?"

"Huh?" Eila looked at the male Witch, stunned. "We're talking about sweets here. What's there to miss?"

"Well..." Roland decided to twiddle his thumbs a little, adopting a meek position. "See, I never really...tried any sweets from outside Liberion..."

"Oh, right," Yoshika stated. "You said that you were within the military for about four months before joining the group."

"Uh, yeah! Exactly! Besides, Perrine seems to know what she's doing."

"Ehe...he..." Perrine started, blushing a little. She then regained her composure and stated, "Well, I'm of the Gallian nobility, so it's a given!"

"Really?"

"In that case, we'll have to try our best!" Sanya stated.

"You're right," Eila added as she turned to look at Lynette. "Hey, do you have any lingonberries, redcurrants, raspberries, or anything like that?"

"We have a lot of blueberries!" Lynette replied cheerfully.

"Hmm, blueberries..." Eila thought about whether she was going to be using them or something.

"I like blueberries..." Sanya said.

"Oh!" Eila snapped her fingers, having come up with an idea. "Then how about making a blueberry tart?"

Sanya nodded her head. "I'll make a chocolate cake and _pryaniki_." Noticing Roland's blank stare, the Orussian Witch added, "It's gingerbread."

"Oh..." Roland said slowly.

"Hey, lieutenant?" Lynette said as she thought of something. "Do you know anything you can cook?"

"Huh? Something to make? Well...there's fudge chocolate..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Later, Francesca woke up, and the Romagnan Witch shook her head slowly.

"Oh, Lucchini," Minna said as she and Roland were standing at her side, "you awake now?"

"Huh?" Francesca asked. "Why was I sleeping?"

Roland gave her a strange look. A look that said "You don't remember?"

"I don't think you want to know..." he stated.

Francesca then remembered what they were doing.

"Oh, right!" she said as she started to stand up and go into the kitchen. "We were making sweets!"

"Everyone is already more or less finished," Minna told her. When the Romagnan Witch stopped to look at them, the commander added, "All we have to do now is to wait for things to be done in the oven."

"Pretty much it," Roland said. "Sorry."

"Oh..." Francesca uttered as she lowered her head. "I didn't really help that much..."

"Well then," Minna said as she smiled lightly, "let's make something from Romagna then, shall we?"

Francesca instantly cheered up and brought her head up. "Really?!"

"Sure," Roland added. "Will you teach us how?"

"Sure! I've never made it myself, but my mom told me how to make _amaretti_!"

"Okay, let's try it!" Minna stated as she, Francesca, and Roland stepped into the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXX

"First you ground almonds..." Francesca started as soon as they prepared for the treat-making. The trio had washed their hands and gathered up the materials for the treats Francesca wanted to make.

"Like this?" Minna asked as she started grinding up said almonds and dropped them into a large bowl.

"...then you mix it with sugar..."

"Like this?" Roland asked as he grabbed the sugar and poured until Francesca told him to stop.

"Then you whip egg whites, add lemon peel, honey and _Amaretto_."

"Egg whites?" Erica asked. "Then you'll need eggs!" She walked over to the carton of eggs that had been taken out for the treats.

"Eh?" Yoshika asked as Erica grabbed an egg and started to crack it. Unfortunately for the little Fuso Witch, the blond-haired Karlsland Witch ended up covering the two of them in egg.

"Erica, what are you doing?!" Gertrud asked quickly as Erica grabbed another egg.

"I'm sure it'll go better next time!" Erica replied as she got ready to "crack" the second egg. However, Minna managed to grab the hand that held the egg.

"No," she said as she took the egg to save it from the Erica Egg-Cracking Apocalypse, "no more."

"Come on, not you too!" Erica pouted.

"Erica, you can arrange the sweets in a fun way instead."

Erica nodded her head. "Okay, I can do that!" She then ran into the dining hall.

"You okay, Yosh?" Roland asked as he walked up to the little Fuso Witch.

"I'm fine, Roland-kun," Yoshika told him with a smile. "Nothing that can't get washed out..."

"Okay, if you say so."

"Oh, you're cracking eggs?" Sakamoto asked as she noticed their activity. "Give then to me, I'm pretty good at this."

"Oh, really?" Minna asked.

"Yes, just watch."

Minna handed the major an egg, and she and Roland watched as Mio stared unsheathing her katana.

"Uh, major..." Roland started as his face started to pale a little.

"Why are you..." Minna continued as her face paled a little as well.

"...drawing your..."

"...katana...?"

"Like I said, just watch," Mio told them as she tossed the egg into the air about eighteen inches over a small bowl and swung her weapon, stopping just above the bowl.

SWISH!

As Mio rested the katana across her shoulders, Minna and Roland bent down to examine the egg as it floated above the bowl.

"Oh my!" Minna said, surprised. "The egg...!"

"Didn't break or anything!" Roland added.

"Look closer," Mio told them.

Just then, the egg separated into two halves, and Mina and Roland each caught a half as the rest plopped into the bowl gently.

"Oh!" Minna exclaimed as she examined the halves the two had caught. "It got cut into two perfect halves!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"What do you think?" Mio later asked as she sheathed her katana after cutting up a few more eggs, the eggs' insides following their brothers. "I call it 'Secret Technique: Egg Cut!'"

"That's great, Major!" Perrine praised.

Mio laughed heartily. "I had to practice quite a lot before I was able to do it without breaking it!"

"She mastered something like that..." Gertrud said, stunned.

"Yeah, but..." Erica added, "we don't really need to be able to do something like that now..."

"Can..." Roland started as he was stunned into silence. "Can you teach me that technique, major?! Please?"

"Are you going to be done with the egg whites soon?" Francesca asked impatiently.

"Ah," Yoshika stated as she grabbed the bowl and found a second bowl to use, "yes, yes."

"Put just the egg whites inside the bowl..." Lynette said as Yoshika proceeded to do just that, being careful to minimize the chances of getting yolk in the mix.

"And then you add the almonds!" Francesca added.

"Like this?" Minna asked as she poured the ground-up almonds (with the sugar) into the bowl of egg whites.

"Yes, right! And then you mix it, mix it, mix it good!"

Minna grabbed a whisk and started mixing the concoction, but she ran into a small problem. "Oh, the dough is quite hard..."

"And then Mom said you could add just a little _amaratto_."

"Okay, just a little," Lynette said as Roland grabbed the _amaratto_ (once he asked which one it was) and put in a small amount.

"Oh, it came together pretty nicely," Minna said in surprise as she found it easier to mix.

"Good," Francesca stated next, "then you form them small with your hands!"

"Ah, I'll help!" Yoshika shouted as she started to make the dough into small balls.

"Just have to form these, right?" Mio asked as she too helped with the dough.

"What shape should they have?" Minna asked Francesca.

"They have shapes?" Roland included.

"Usually just small balls," Francesca explained, "but Mom made animals and such out of them!"

"Okay," Gertrud stated as she ran out of the area, "I'll go get some molds!"

"I'll get some flowers," Perrine added as she went off to find some.

"Put some _salmiakki_ in them!" Eila included.

"Eila, please don't..." Sanya started, but she was interrupted by Roland's rather quick reply.

"No!" he shouted.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Yay, they're done!" Francesca shouted cheerfully as Roland placed a dog-shaped portion of the dough onto a cookie sheet.

"You put them in the oven?" Lynette asked her. She was busy boiling some water for drinks, though which drinks she wasn't sure right now.

"Yeah! But first you spread sugar over them!"

Lynette did as the Romagnan Witch said. "How hot and for how long?"

"Um..." Francesca looked hesitant. "I don't know..."

"Okay, leave it to me."

"Lynne, you think it will work out?"

"We have similar sweets in Britannia, so I'm sure it will be fine."

Francesca gave a thumbs-up. "I'll leave it to you then! Here you go!" She handed Lynette the cookie sheet, and the Britannian Witch opened the oven door and set it on a rack, closing it before she stood straight again.

"Let's have some tea while we wait!" Yoshika suggested.

"Oh, should I hold a tea ceremony again?" Mio asked.

Roland blinked as he turned to look at the older Fuso Witch.

"Tea ceremony?" he asked. The bigger question was: _Again?_

"Oh, yes, please!" Perrine replied quickly and happily.

"Let's have some black tea today," Minna suggested.

"I'd like some coffee," Gertrud added.

"Hot chocolate..." Sanya included.

Then Yoshika and her statement...

"We have some cod-liver oil too!" the little Fuso Witch said.

"Ugh, no thanks!" Erica shouted.

"What?" Minna asked the blonde. "But it tastes good."

Everyone looked at the commander.

"What?" they asked as one. The last time they had some, Charlotte said it tasted like engine lubricant and Eila was busy trying to spit the taste out of her mouth. Roland was the only other person on the team to have more than one cup (though his stomach ended up lodging a complaint a few minutes later, when he and the night patrol at the time went back to Sanya's room to get some more sleep), and even he didn't really enjoy it.

"The water's boiling!" Lynette, who had been preparing the water at this point, exclaimed.

"Ah," Yoshika said as she raced to help Lynette out, "let me help, Lynne."

"Thanks!"

XXXXXXXXX

"Alright, it's done!" Yoshika announced a while later. The two girls walked into the dining hall, where the others were sitting, carrying two big plates with cups on them, totaling about fifteen cups in all. Two of them were empty. Out of the Witches in the dining hall, Eila, Sanya, and Roland were the only ones with drinks already, being hot chocolate (the male Witch decided to make it himself to make it a little easier for the little Fuso Witch and her Britannian teammate).

"Black tea for Commander Minna, Barkhorn, and Perrine..." Lynette said as she handed said people a cup of black tea each.

"Green tea for me and Sakamoto..." Yoshika said as she handed a cup of green tea to Mio and set a cup at her spot.

"Hartmann wanted everything, and..." Lynette handed Erica three cups filled with either black tea, green tea, and hot chocolate (Roland was unaware that Erica wanted to have one of every drink) to Erica. Turning to Francesca, she asked, "What do you want, Lucchini?"

Francesca put some thought into her answer.

"Can you make _a__ffogato_?" she asked Lynette.

"Aho..." Yoshika started.

"...Stupo?" Roland finished.

"Um, I've heard of it..." Lynette replied hesitantly. "Is it a coffee float?"

_Coffee float?_ Roland thought to himself. _There's a root beer float, a "strawberry float", and now there's a coffee float?_

"No!" Francesca shouted as she shook her head. "You pour coffee over _gelato_."

"Okay, wait. I'll try." Lynette walked into the kitchen. A while later, she came out with a cup of Francesca's chosen drink, made to her best ability. "Is this alright?"

"Oh!" Francesca grabbed the cup and looked inside. "How cute!"

"Looks good!" Erica said as she looked at the inside of the cup for herself. "Can I have one too?"

"Absolutely!" Lynette went back into the kitchen and made another cup of _affogato_, handing it to the blond-haired Karlsland Witch.

"Is everyone gathered?" Minna asked.

"Yes!" everyone told her.

"Well then, let's have some tea!"

XXXXXXXXX

"Shirley hasn't come back yet..." Francesca said sadly as she ran her finger around the rim of her cup.

"We're all finished with the sweets..." Lynette added. It was true: all the treats the girls and Roland had been laboring over throughout the day were now sitting on the table, the Charlotte-excluded team sitting around as they were enjoying the drinks and each other's presence. The treats themselves were on an assortment of trays, cookie sheets, and plates.

"Although it was too bad Perrine's shuu-something didn't rise..." Yoshika included.

"Just like how Perrine's you-know-what never grows bigger either!" Eila added slyly.

"What do you mean by that?" Perrine asked, irritated.

Eila laughed, which made the Gallian Witch a little afraid.

"W-what are you laughing about?!" the Gallian Witch asked, scared.

Grasping the idea behind the words, Roland slammed his head into the table in embarrassment, his face becoming a slight red.

"I wonder if Shirley really is angry..." Francesca said as she thought about the reason why they did all this in the first place.

"That's..." Lynette started.

"You're still..." Roland added as he lifted his head, which was now throbbing in pain. His blush was still there.

"But..." Francesca replied, "she left without telling me before..."

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about!" Yoshika said quickly.

"But...but..."

Roland got up, walked over to her seat, and placed his right hand on her left shoulder.

"You ever considered if she didn't tell you for some other reason?" he asked her.

Suddenly, everyone could hear the familiar sound of Charlotte's motorcycle as the Liberion Witch returned.

"Hear that?" Yoshika asked. "It's a motorbike!"

"Shirley!" Francesca shouted happily.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Shirley, welcome back!" Francesca shouted as she clung on to Charlotte once she stepped into the doorway leading to the dining hall. The others (with Minna and Roland using their magic to keep an eye on Charlotte's position on the base for the moment) had opted to leave the room for the moment and wait for the buxom Liberion Witch to enter the area, making sure to stay out until it was time to go back in.

"Oh, Lucchini," Charlotte said as she focused on her friend, "you came to meet me?"

"Yes...look!" Francesca let go and waved her hand at the sweets that were made and were sitting on the table. "I made sweets with everyone while waiting!"

"Oh, wow!" Charlotte walked up to the table and examined the treats. "It's like a harvest festival!" She noticed that each one looked to have been made based on each of the other's homeland treats.

"Shirley...I'm sorry."

Charlotte turned to face Francesca, who was looking sad. "Why? Why do you say that?" The buxom Liberion Witch looked confused.

"But..." Francesca ran that sentence through her mind a second time. "Because I was being selfish yesterday..."

"Lucchini..." Charlotte dug around in her military jacket's pockets for a while. "Here!" She produced the goggles that triggered it all and held it out for the Romagnan Witch to grab.

Francesca gingerly took the goggles and looked at Charlotte with a confused look. "Huh? These are your goggles..."

"Yeah, they don't produce the Alkion Mark 4 Racing Special anymore, so they're pretty hard to find." Charlotte dug into her pockets some more and produced a newer version of the goggles in Francesca's hands. "So, I went all around London to find another pair. I was thinking we might as well have ones that look the same. You can have the old pair or the new pair, so pick the one you like."

Francesca was lost for words. "I..."

Charlotte tilted her head to the right. "Hmm?"

"I...understood something today."

Charlotte was still confused. "What?"

"You have a lot of memories with these goggles, right?"

"Yeah."

Francesca's voice sounded like she was about to start crying. "Well, I can't take them then."

"It's alright..." Charlotte took Francesca in for a hug as the Romagnan Witch cried softly into her chest. "I'm here now. With you and everyone else in the Five Hundred and First. So, I wouldn't want your crying voice to be the first memory I have with these new goggles."

Francesca stopped crying and sniffled a little. "I want the new ones, Shirley. You should keep the others."

"Okay..." Charlotte took the old ones and handed Francesca the new ones, "is that what you really want?"

"What I want...aren't your memories, after all."

Charlotte chuckled lightly. "What was that?"

"...Shirley...I'm sorry..."

"Oh? What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay, it's okay..." Charlotte patted Francesca's back gently before she looked at the treats on the table. "I wasn't angry, you know. Anyways, you made some sweets, right? I'm really hungry." To prove her point, the Liberion Witch's stomach growled.

"...Yeah..." Francesca stepped out of Charlotte's embrace and put the new goggles over her forehead, her friend doing the same. "Everyone is waiting."

The others, who had been waiting just outside in wait, soon entered and greeted Charlotte themselves.

"Shirley!" Yoshika exclaimed cheerfully. "Welcome back!"

"Oh, you have the same goggles!" Lynette noted as she noticed the matching goggles.

"Oh, you look like mother and daughter now," Mio commented.

"Yes, really," Perrine agreed.

"I'm still just sixteen!" Charlotte pointed out.

Roland laughed heartily.

"Well," he said as he give off a thumbs-up. "There's a lot of sweets to eat. Let's dig in, ladies!"

As the entire wing sat down to eat what was on the table (excluding the portions set aside for the personnel on the base), Francesca took some time to swallow some of the chocolate fudge Roland had made to tell Charlotte something.

"Shirley?" she asked the Liberion Witch.

"Hmm?" Charlotte asked in return.

"Thanks!"

"That goes for you as well. You waited for me, right?"

"Yes."

"Thanks."

"Shirley, I love you!" Francesca hugged Charlotte tightly and nudged her way into her chest.

"Yeah!" Charlotte told her.

"Good day for all," Roland concluded as he took a bite out of the _amaretti_.

_Too bad every day can't be like this..._ he added.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Alright, so there goes the second part. Not much to say other than...yay?**

**Oh well, it's not going to be like the _Strike Heroes _series (and by extension, the **_Strike Witches_** anime since the** _Strike Heroes_ **universe is based on it) as far as being set in a fixed order, but this will have some chronological order (probably). Most likely, though, it will just be bits from within the series (both SH and SW).**

**Anyways, please read and respond, and let me know what you thought of this story. Also, in case you didn't know, I published the first chapter of **_Strike Heroes: Wings of Freedom _**as well, so be sure to check that out when you get a chance.**

**Thanks, and I will see you guys next time.**


	3. Mio's Lesson: Magic

**Hello, and welcome to another update of **_Strike Heroes: Himebana_**.**

**It's been a while since I updated this one, but with my announcement at the end of Chapter 3 of **_Strike Heroes: __Wings of Freedom_** this is going to be updated as well.**

**So let's start with the replies to the reviews...**

_Jetfire77_**: Yeah, these stories will be based off the drama CDs, with (of course) some adjustment to fit in with the** _Strike Heroes _**series' continuity. That isn't to say that there won't be original content, but given that I am going through some ideas for them at the moment it'll be a while before one comes up. Anyways, thanks for the review and I hope you continue to enjoy this collection of stories.**

_Takashi2019_**: These will be take place between the Season 1 events at the moment, so there will be some confusion for a while. However, I will try my best to either place clues as to when the current story takes place or just announce it to make it easier on everyone (I'm leaning towards the clues so that people can try to come up with an idea of the timeline for it). Aside from that, thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this next entry.**

_jaku uzumaki_**: Thanks for the review.**

**...And that's it for the reviews at the moment. It's probably odd to say this, but...I think it's nice to have this much reviews. Brings me back to memories of when I was making** _Strike Heroes_**. Don't get me wrong: I don't mind replying to lots of reviews here, but every now and then it does feel easier to go through a small amount of reviews. Just me, though.**

**Anyways, on to your regularly-scheduled program...**

**_This is a regular program? You waited a long time after you put up two chapters to update this one..._**

**Lionelis, please don't start with me about this...**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Mio's Lesson: Magic**

"Miyafuji?" Mio asked as she had Yoshika, Lynette, and Roland inside the briefing room for a lesson today. "Lynne? Sage? Are you ready?"

"Yes!" Yoshika and Lynette both told her excitedly.

Roland simply saluted; for him, there was no real point to making a reply when the two sergeants near him had the enthusiasm of all three combined.

"Good," Mio continued as she nodded. "To put it simply, I will teach you magic today."

To her mild surprise, the three of them looked confused.

"Magic?" they asked.

"As in something we all share in common?" Roland added as he scratched his head. Why was Mio trying to teach them about something they had been looking at (and had) for a long time. Well, under a year for the male Witch.

"Yes," Mio replied. "It would be bad if you didn't know of everyone's special power when you form a rotte. That is, fly in a pair with them."

"Ah..." Yoshika said sheepishly. "Special power...right...it wouldn't be good to not know, right?" The little Fuso Witch chuckled nervously.

Mio wasn't exactly amused, as judged by her response: "What kind of reaction is that? Don't tell me you don't know what it means?"

"The special power or the rotte?" Roland asked. Given his past and the fact that he had only been a Witch for under a year, it was kind of hard to put a finger on what Mio was talking about.

"Oh, no, I've heard of it," Yoshika replied quickly. "It's just that I don't really remember it that clearly..."

"Oh, Yoshika," Lynette decided to say, "you're so forgetful." She then chuckled, Yoshika following suit.

"It's not a laughing matter!" Mio snapped, irritated.

"I'm sorry!" the girls apologized.

"So, 'special power', major?" Roland asked to start off the discussion.

"Really..." Mio said before she sighed. "'Special power' refers to a Witch's own special magic ability." She looked at Yoshika. "Like your healing ability or Roland's gyrokinesis and aura sense."

"Ah, I see," Yoshika said as she nodded in approval. "Right. It's not like everyone can use healing magic."

_Unless you're playing a game or something,_ Roland added. _Know how many people play as clerics or something of that nature?_

"No, that's why I always think 'Wow, Yoshika is amazing' every time I see it," Lynette replied.

"You think?" Yoshika asked the Britannian Witch. "Isn't your sniper magic even more amazing?"

"Oh no." Lynette shook her head. "You're more amazing!"

"No, you are, Lynne!"

"I think you are, for sure!"

Mio laughed at the spectacle before she said, "Don't fight over something like that! Just having a special power in the first place is amazing, you know."

"Really?" Yoshika asked in awe.

"So how many Witches can use these 'special powers'?" Roland quizzed.

"Yes," Mio replied to the two newer recruits. "Even among Witches, only a handful are able to use special powers."

"I see..." Yoshika and Roland both said.

"Most Witches can only use basic body enhancing and shields. Just the fact that you can use special powers makes you part of the elite from the start."

_Well,_ the male Witch thought to himself now. _I'm already a male Witch, and now I'm able to use one of these 'special powers'. Is that a good thing?_

"Really?" Yoshika said in excitement. "Yay! Roland-kun and I are already special!"

"However..." Mio began as she raised a finger. "You lack the basics."

This made Yoshika upset. "Augh..."

"Really...you did so well on your first flight. Why can't you get your act together during training?"

"Ah," Lynette decided to point out, "but see, Yoshika is the type who is really strong when it really matters!"

"Thanks, Lynne..." Yoshika said in gratitude.

"And you're too weak when it really matters, Lynne," Mio pointed out.

"Uh..." Lynette started before she bowed quickly. "Sorry..."

"And Sage here's got potential but has no training on utilizing it."

"Guy who's been a Witch for under a year here, you know," Roland said quickly.

"Though from what Commander Minna told me, not many Witches fly up to a hole inside a Neuroi and force a grenade into it, even if there's a core there."

"I-I guess we're kind of similar, Lynne..." Yoshika said sheepishly.

"Yes, you're right..." Lynette added.

Mio laughed and replied with, "But don't worry! I'll make the three of you into fine Witches in no time!"

"Please teach us!" Yoshika and Lynette pleaded.

"Then run around the grounds ten times, now!"

The girls were stunned. "What?! Now?!"

"No questions! Run!"

"Come on, you two," Roland said as he ran out of the room, the girls following him.

"Yes!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"What is it, major?" Charlotte asked as she, Mio, Yoshika, Lynette, and Roland were standing out on the runway. The sergeants looked beat, like they had run a marathon. Roland looked fine...though he was rather red from the heat. "'Show them your magic'?"

"Yeah," Mio explained. "I'm drilling them right now. Could you show them your special power?"

"Please?" Yoshika and Lynette asked.

Charlotte chuckled. "No problem. Okay then." She clapped her hands together. "Could you move away a bit?"

"Sure!" The girls and Roland went out about ten meters.

"Will this be enough?" Yoshika asked for confirmation.

"Farther away!" Charlotte said as she waved her hand ahead of her.

The trio moved another ten meters before Yoshika repeated her question: "Will this be enough?"

"Yeah, I think that'll be enough! Okay! I'm coming!"

Out of reflex (and knowledge), Roland used his right arm to make a sort of visor as he squinted in order to minimize the chances of getting anything in them, and they watched as Charlotte disappeared.

"S-she disappeared?" Yoshika asked in surprise.

Roland and the girls felt a sudden gust of wind pass by them, kicking up a lot of dirt. Roland's aura sense even kicked in as he felt Charlotte pass right by him.

"Uwah, the wind!" Yoshika and Lynette said in surprise as they felt the effects.

"Oh, maybe I was too close?" Charlotte asked as she stopped right behind them.

Yoshika was sitting on the ground, her legs under her as she busy trying to wipe dirt from her eyes (unprepared, the poor girl had felt dirt fly past her face)

"I've got dirt in my eyes!" she complained.

"Oh, sorry," Charlotte apologized. "I usually don't use it on the ground, so I don't really know my limits."

Yoshika finished her business and stood up, facing the Liberion Witch. "That magic...was it teleportation?!"

"Doubt it," Roland said as a reply. "If it was, I wouldn't have felt her aura in the middle of it...I think."

Charlotte laughed as she added, "Now that would be useful! But unfortunately, no."

"Um, it was 'nendou'-type acceleration magic, wasn't it?" Lynette tried.

Charlotte clapped her hands in praise. "Oh, well done, Lynne. You're right."

"So translated: 'speedy thing go in, speedy thing come out'?" Roland tried as a way of simplifying what exactly Charlotte did. He knew she went fast, but he thought it only applied to her Striker Unit. Not on the ground as well.

"I don't think that's how it goes, Roland...more like I go from zero to sixty em-pee-ehch in about one second, maybe two."

Yoshika looked confused about something.

"What's 'clay-type'?" she asked out of the blue.

Everything stopped as the four other Witches turned to look at Yoshika.

"What?" Charlotte and Lynette asked.

"Miyafuji..." Mio added. She sounded irritated.

"Is there something I'm missing here?" Roland asked with a raised eyebrow. Turning to Mio, he added, "What exactly is 'nendou'?"

"I know, I know!" Yoshika continued. "Ehm, it refers to clay made of magic power, and an ability to make your breasts bigger!"

This got deeper reactions out of the girls and Roland, starting with the male Witch face-planting on the ground in shock.

"B-breasts?!" Lynette asked in shock.

"What the...?!" Charlotte started before she laughed.

"Of course not!" Mio reprimanded the little Fuso Witch. "What kind of magic is that?!"

"Eh..." Yoshika tried as she looked for something in her mind to back up her answer. "I was thinking that Shirley's breasts are so big it's magical!"

Charlotte was still laughing when Yoshika said this.

"So what?" she asked the little Fuso Witch. "When I run out of magic power, my chest becomes flat like yours?"

"That's mean!" Yoshika quickly defended. "I'm not flat! I have...some..." She then looked down at her chest nervously before she looked at the other girls.

"No comment..." Roland muttered into the ground, though he was fighting a blush that was growing on his face.

"That's not the problem, Miyafuji," Charlotte added.

"Yoshika..." Lynette said.

"W-what?" Yoshika asked in embarrasment.

"Really..." Mio said as she shook her head. "Just what are you thinking?"

"Sorry..."

Mio sighed. "It's not 'clay-type', it's 'telekinesis-type'! That's what you call magic that moves things around."

"Aha..."

"In my case," Charlotte pointed out. "I use magic to push my body forward and add more speed."

"I see," Yoshika said in realization, "the 'nen' in 'nendou' means 'mind' since you move things with your mind."

"My sniper magic is also telekinesis-type," Lynette added. "I use magic to move the bullets."

"So Lynne is also clay-type-I mean, telekinesis-type."

"It's the same for Captain Barkhorn," Mio included. "Her magic is called 'superhuman strength', but she also uses magic to move things that she touches around."

"Shirley, Lynne and Captain Barkhorn are all clay-type..."

Mio growled in irritation. "It is absolutely not magic to make breasts bigger!"

"Ah, r-right..."

"Besides, your healing magic is also telekinesis-type."

Yoshika looked confused. "It is?"

Mio nodded. "Yes. It changes the structure of the body and fixes things. In other words, magic that has an effect on objects are telekinesis-type." Looking at Roland as he got back onto his feet, she added, "Lieutenant Sage's gyrokinesis is also an example of telekinesis-type. Being able to move things by placing an aura around it...like a long-range version of Captain Barkhorn's magic."

"Thanks, major," Roland said as he blushed. He learned that he had at least control of a telekinesis-type magic. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about 'clay-type' (whatever it was: Yoshika didn't really make too much sense sometimes).

"I see," Yoshika said as she nodded.

"Good, you get it," Mio concluded. "Then I want you three to do one hundred push-ups!"

Again, Yoshika and Lynette were surprised.

"What?!" they asked.

"You have to be fit to use telekinesis-type magic!" Mio reasoned. "Stop complaining and start working!"

"Yes!" They dropped into the push-up position, Roland sliding in to do them as well, and started on their push-ups.

As Charlotte left the group to their devices, she found her thoughts wandering back to what Yoshika had said.

"Is there really a connection between your body and telekinesis-type magic?" she asked herself before she shook her head. "...Well, whatever!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Uwah!" Eila shouted as she opened the door to her room a bit and found Yoshika, Lynette, Roland, and Mio standing there. "Don't surprise me like that!"

"Sorry to bother you..." Yoshika and Lynette told her in an exhausted tone.

Eila looked and noticed that they looked completely beat. "Why do you two sound like you're about to die?"

"We've been training," Roland offered as an answer. He didn't look as bad, but he did have some scrapes on his face (reminders of his face-plant from Yoshika's clay comment).

"Ah, I see. Well, well done. Go back to your room and rest well, then."

Suddenly, she was joined by a sleepy Sanya.

"...Mhm?" the Orussian Witch groaned sleepily as she looked at the guests. "...What are you doing, Eila? It's noisy..."

"Damn..." Eila cursed under her breath.

"What?" Yoshika asked, surprised to see Sanya. "Why is Sanya sleeping here?"

"Ah, Miyafuji..." Sanya greeted sleepily.

_Up all night, huh?_ Roland thought as he flashed a slight smile. He wasn't really concerned with why the two were in the same room: Sanya sometimes ended up in his room for unknown reasons. Something he hasn't really figured out yet.

"T-that's not important!" Eila snapped in defense. "Why are you here?"

"Calm down, Eila," Roland said quickly. "The major told us to ask you to show us perception-type magic..."

"Ah, sorry to bother you on your free time," Mio said as she looked at the Suomos Witch and her roommate.

"The mood-spoiling trio is gathered..." Eila muttered to herself. "And Roland to boot..."

Mio chuckled. "I don't know why she's here, but it's good Sanya's here too. See, I'm teaching these three about magic right now.

"Okay..." Eila lowered her eyebrows. "And now you want to see my magic?"

"Sounds fun," Sanya said as she was becoming more alert. "It's great to be able to help Miyafuji, Roland, and Lynne." She then looked at her friend. "Right, Eila?"

"Eh?" Eila smiled quickly. "Ah, sure! Leave it to me!" She then opened the door to let the major, sergeants, and Roland into her room.

XXXXXXXXX

"Hmm..." Eila said as she was busy studying a card Yoshika had drawn. The two girls were sitting on the cards as Eila was utilizing her tarot cards for Yoshika.

"Erm, Eila?" Yoshika asked as she looked at the Suomos Witch carefully.

"Oh!" Eila snapped her fingers. "The Star is in the right position! Something good might happen to you today, Miyafuji."

"Yay!" Yoshika was cheerful...until she realized something. "But isn't this more like fortune-telling than actual magic?"

Eila was slightly outraged. "What? I can use magic to see into the future, you know!"

"In that case, tell me straight up what's going to happen!"

Eila put a finger on her chin. "Well, you say that but...it's not like I know what will happen. It's more like I feel it."

Yoshika was baffled. "Hmm?"

"Yeah, for example, if you see an angry Perrine bump into Lucchini, who looks like she's got nothing to do, you'd think 'Something is bound to happen here', right?"

"Well..." Yoshika imagined the situation briefly. "Yeah..."

"My magic is like that, except it's much more accurate."

The little Fuso Witch still looked confused. "In other words...you're just guessing?"

Eila became irritated. "Argh! I told you it's really accurate! If it's about the near future, it's almost never incorrect!"

"So it's very, very accurate guessing?" Apparently, Yoshika did not grasp the meaning behind Eila's words.

"You don't call that 'guessing'!"

"So we assume it's very accurate, but at its basic level it's more of a prediction than knowing exactly what's to happen," Roland said as he thought about what Eila said. "So if I grab a ball and say that I'm going to throw it up into the air at a random time, you can predict when I will actually do it using your magic, right?"

"Exactly," Eila said. "Roland gets it. For instance, if you have a complete understanding of what's going on around you, it's pretty easy to figure out what's going to happen next, right?"

"Well, yes…" Yoshika started.

"Having almost a hundred percent understanding like that is my magic." Eila then raised her left index finger. "But it's still just a prediction, so when it actually turns out like that you go 'I see'. You're still a little uncertain, no matter what."

"Yes," Mio added. "I guess that means Eila's ability isn't unlimited either."

"Well, it would be boring if you knew too much about the future anyways, don't you think?"

"Yes indeed," Lynette said. "Knowing about the future sounds kind of scary…"

"Really?" Yoshika asked in excitement. "I think it sounds useful!"

"Glad to know you think that," Roland added, thinking to himself, _Note to self: Yoshika might like the fact that I know what's going to happen…uh, maybe not…I don't really know..._

"You think so?" Lynette asked the little Fuso Witch. "I always think too much of fortune-telling and such. I wouldn't be able to focus on anything else."

"Oh?" Eila asked as a sly look crept onto her face before she chuckled darkly. "Well then…let's do some fortune-telling on you too, Lynne!" She then drew a card and studied it for a bit.

Lynette obviously didn't want her to do that, judging by her flailing arms and rapid reply "No, stop!"

"Let's see here…oh! The Devil! It's a sign of lust and corruption!"

"Uwah!"

Eila drew another card and looked at it before showing it to the others. "The Death! Sudden ordeal and misfortune!"

"No! It won't happen!"

Another card was drawn by the Suomos Witch. "The Judgment in reverse position! The end of everything and separation! And disappointment!"

"No! No!"

Roland didn't really looked amused: based on what he knew about Lynette, he was fairly certain that the Britannian Witch was not lustful or corrupt, she was not currently in any real misfortune (unless, of course, you counted what Eila was doing), and…

Somehow, it sounded like the last one might apply to him more if his secret ever came out.

"Eila…" Yoshika started after the long list of cards. "Aren't you just picking out cards at random?"

"Darn…" Eila groaned in defeat as she sighed. "You caught me."

Lynette was unresponsive after the whole ordeal.

"Well," Mio said to get away from the odd situation, "let's leave fortune-telling for a while…"

"Yes, please," Roland replied quickly. He didn't want to wait and see if he was the next target for Eila at the moment.

"Now you understand what perception-type magic is, right?"

"Erm…" Yoshika started as she thought about it. "Magic that helps you see what's going on around you, right?"

Mio nodded in approval. "Yes. Like my magical eye, Minna's spatial-awareness, Sanya's magical waves, Roland's aura sense, and such. That kind of magic is called 'perception magic'."

"I see."

"But among those, Eila's magic is especially rare."

"Hmm?" Eila said.

"Meaning...?" Roland added.

"Even though it's only a prediction, in order to make it almost one hundred percent certain, you have to see and feel everything that's going on around you," Mio clarified. "That truly is some amazing magic."

"Ooh!" Eila said excitedly. "You sure say some good things, Major Sakamoto!" She then looked at Roland, Yoshika, and Lynette. "Come on, you three too, praise me more!"

"…Amazing!" Yoshika said quickly.

"Fantastic!" Lynette added.

"Wonderful…" Roland deadpanned. While he was amazed that Eila had a rare form of perception-type magic, the current situation was a little too much. Especially given that it seemed that Eila was trying to milk it for all it was worth.

And he really couldn't forget the three-card draw at the moment either.

Eila cleared her throat and said, "What do you say, aren't I great, Sanya?"

Sanya didn't make any response, something that got Eila's attention. Also, a soft pat was heard during the silence.

"Sanya?" she asked as she looked at her companion, who was busy leaning against Roland's right side as she was dozing off. Unknown to everyone else, the Orussian Witch had been trying to stay awake but, without some form of entertainment and with a lack of sleep, she had decided to go back to sleep, using Roland as support.

"S-she's sleeping…" Yoshika said.

"Why?!" Eila was upset. That, and she looked angry, a look she directed right at the unsuspecting male Witch, who was too busy looking at the sleeping girl leaning against him.

"Sorry for disturbing…"

Roland looked at Yoshika and was about to ask her about why she said that when he caught Eila's "death glare" and gulped.

XXXXXXXXX

"There's also offensive-type magic," Mio continued as they walked down the hallway a few minutes after Eila's demonstration, "but…well, it's just what it sounds like."

"Like Lieutenant Hartmann's wind, Perrine's lightning, and Lucchini's light and heat, right?" Lynette asked.

Mio nodded once again. "Right. It's magic that turns magic power into energy to attack with." They then walked by a set of stairs that led to the second floor.

"I see…" Yoshika said before she looked at Roland. "You okay, Roland-kun?"

"I'm fine…" Roland groaned as he was busy nursing the back of his head. Apparently, Eila had retaliated against Roland just because Sanya had leaned against him in her sleep. "Why me…what'd I do to deserve this?"

"You'll get over it," Mio said before they saw Francesca running towards them, an angry Perrine in hot pursuit.

"Hold it right there, you thieving little cat!" the Gallian Witch yelled as she was giving chase.

"I'm not a thief!" Francesca replied. "I just took it without permission!"

"That's what thieves do! Give it back!"

"Nah!"

"This doesn't look good…" Yoshika said.

"Yes…" Lynette said in agreement. "You don't have to be Eila to see that…"

"I've got it," Roland said as he turned around and started walking back towards the stairs.

"Catch me if you can!" Francesca said as she passed by Roland and flew up the nearby stairs. Roland, deciding to try catching the Romagnan Witch, started jogging up the stairs.

"Argh, she won't stay still…" Perrine said as she stopped at the base of the stairs and snapped her fingers and pointed it at Francesca, electicity starting to be emitted from her body. "Tonnerre!"

Roland's back was to the Gallian Witch when she said that (due to watching Francesca run up the stairs and jogging up it as well), and the male Witch had reached the top when he turned his head in time to see a sudden blue streak of electrical energy that was coming right for him.

"Wait, what-" the male Witch asked before he was pelted with a lot of blue electricity.

"Whoa!" Francesca said as she turned around and watched Roland get pelted with Perrine's spell.

**_POOF!_**

A small burst of black soot burst from Roland's body as the male Witch was surrounded by it.

The girls looked at where he had once been and, as the smoke dispersed from his body, had to stifle a slight chuckle (well, in Yoshika's and Lynette's case, at least; apparently, not even a girl who wants to protect everyone could resist looking at the sight before them) once he was visible: his clothes didn't seem to be damaged beyond having soot on them, and some of the soot was on his arms and even his face.

To Lynette, he seemed to remind her of a chimney sweeper...only wearing what he was wearing.

Roland, dazed and confused, coughed up a quick puff of gray smoke before he fell to the ground back first, his hair standing up on ends while smoke was emanating from his body.

Apparently, the Romagnan Witch, who was supposed to be the target, found something more "interesting" than the paralyzed male Witch on the floor.

"Ha ha!" Francesca said in laughter. "Frizzle head!"

"Ah!" Perrine said in concern as she looked up at her hair, which indeed was in a state that reminded her of having a severe case of bedhead. "My hair got messed up because I used Tonnerre!"

"Haha!" Francesca walked to the railing and cracked an amusing smile before pointing her right index finger at the Gallian Witch. "Frizzle frizzle frazzle frazzle frozzle frozzle!"

"I have no idea what you're saying but it's really annoying! Don't get cocky, or I'll shoot you for real next time!"

"Perrine!" Mio said in anger.

"Eh?" Perrine looked at the major and the sergeants and was surprised. "Major Sakamoto? When did you…?" She was trying to figure out why she had missed them despite having run past them (she thought that it was either the heat of the moment or that she was too focused on her current task of stopping Francesca).

"Just what do you two think you are doing?!" Mio snapped her head to look at Francesca. "Lucchini! Get down here!"

"Ugh…" Francesca said in disappointment as she came down the stairs. "'Kay…"

XXXXXXXXXX

"I don't know if I can feel my tongue…" Roland said, though (due to the spell, most likely) it came out more as "I don't know ith I can feel my thongue…" His tongue was sticking out as he sat on the floor, his back to a wall as he was facing the stairs.

Yoshika and Lynette had been asked by Mio to bring the downed male Witch to the first floor carefully (they both settled for dragging him back and letting his feet bounce down the stairs as they worked together to lift him). A while after, Roland had recovered and had sat up slowly, currently worrying about his tongue.

"Sorry about that, lieutenant," Perrine apologized as Yoshika was checking on Roland's tongue.

"Really…" Mio said as she shook her head in disappointment. "How could you use offensive magic against your friends?"

"I'm really sorry…"

Francesca laughed as she said, "You got yelled at."

"That goes for you too, Lucchini!" Mio retorted as she looked at the Romagnan Witch. "Just what did you do to make Perrine, who usually is so kind and gentle, this angry?"

"Usually…" Yoshika started as she looked at the major in surprise.

"…Gentle?" Lynette and Roland both said as well (Roland's line at the moment: "…Thentle?").

"Ah, Major Sakamoto…" Perrine said as she started blushing slightly. "Ensign Lucchini took my…my…"

Yoshika looked at Francesca and was instantly taken aback by a change she had never noticed until now. "Aah!"

"What's wrong, Yoshika?" Lynette asked in concern.

"Lucchini's breasts…!"

"Aren't they nice~?" Francesca asked playfully as she grabbed her assets. "Want to touch them~?"

"They're big!"

"You're right," Lynette said in response, "they're big!"

Yoshika snapped her fingers. "I knew clay-type magic existed!"

"No it doesn't!" Mio shouted in irritation once again.

"We're back to that again?" Roland asked (what was heard: "We're bacth to that again?").

"B-but then what kind of magic did she use?" Yoshika asked quickly as she blinked. "I thought Lucchini used offensive-type magic…" She gave it some quick thought. "Well, in a way, this is offensive-type magic, but…"

"Y-Yoshika?" Lynette asked.

"It's because of these…" Francesca said as she reached under her shirt and pulled out a set of breasts pads. "Tada!"

"Oh?" Yosika said as she looked at the new object. "…Breasts pads?"

"Breasts pads?" Roland repeated (heard by the rest: "Breath bads?").

"It is," Lynette confirmed.

"I found them in Perrine's room!" Francesca said cheerfully.

Everyone looked at Perrine, whose blush had exploded into a deeper red.

"I-it's not what you think!" the Gallian Witch said in quick defense as she grabbed the item from Francesca. "It's not like I usually have them on!"

"Then…" Yoshika began as she looked at Perrine with a look of confusion. "When are you using them?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?! It's not like that at all!"

"I haven't said anything…"

"It's for when wearing a dress! On official occasions, when wearing a formal dress, you need these!"

"Oh yes!" Lynette added. "Dresses made for adults are made with room for the breasts, so…"

Perrine snapped her fingers at Lynette as her blush went away. "Yes, yes! Lynne understands! Well, it's not strange that low-class raccoon-dogs and crybaby thieves don't know about them."

"That's mean!" Yoshika said, feeling offended. "The culture in Fuso is different, that's why! You can look good in a kimono even if you have small breasts!"

Lynette looked shocked once she heard that.

"Yoshika…" Francesca said slowly. "Doesn't it feel like a loss to say something like that?"

"J-just a little…" Yoshika said hesitantly once she realized what she had said.

_It's better to not have big breasts…_ Lynette thought to herself.

"Does it really matter?" Roland asked (Sounds like, "Doeth it really madder?").

"I got an idea!" Francesca suddenly said. "Why don't we ask Roland what size is better?"

"What?" (Uttered: "Wat?").

"You know, that sounds good right now," Yoshika said as the girls looked at the only male Witch on the entire base. "Which do you think is better, Roland-kun: big or little?"

Roland recoiled from the sudden question. "The hell kind of question is that to ask me?" (His spoken line: "The hell kind of quethion ith that to ath me?").

"Too simple," Francesca said quickly as she shook her head. "How about this: point to who you think has the best breasts around this area."

That question made Roland freak out more. "The eff?" (Heard as "The eth?").

"Come on, we're just curious, Roland-kun," Yoshika said.

Roland sighed to his best ability. Personally, if Charlotte was in the area (which she wasn't), then it was close to a no-brainer. However, he also felt like he was going to be damned later on no matter which direction this was going to head.

He closed his eyes, raised his right arm, and formed his hand so that he was pointing before he lowered it so that it was pointing at…

Minna, who was just coming down the stairs.

"Commander Minna?" Francesca asked in confusion.

"Hello, Lucchini," Minna said as she noticed the group. She then realized that Roland was pointing at her. "Hmm? What's going on around here right now?"

Roland opened his eyes and realized that she was the one he had been pointing to before he gave off a cry of surprise.

"Ah!" the male Witch cried as be blinked. "Commander! It's nothing, really!" (Translated: "Ah! Commandah! It'th nothing, really!").

Minna blinked as she looked at Roland and his stuck-out tongue.

"What happened to his tongue?" the commander asked in confusion.

"It's a long story," Mio told her. "The situation has been remedied, so no need to worry about it."

"Uh-huh…" Minna sighed. "Oh well. I really hope Roland's tongue gets better so that I can make better sense of what he's saying."

As the commander walked off, Roland sighed as he fell onto his left side, unconscious out of embarrassment.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Alright then," Mio said as the group of four were now in the briefing room once again. "Now you know about the different types of magic, right?"

"I understand," Yoshika told her. "I think…"

"Well, the research in magic still has a long way to go. There are a lot of things we still don't know."

"I see…but there really are some big difference between different people…"

"You're right…" Lynette agreed. "And everyone has magic that makes you think 'That's very fitting for her' Or him in Lieutenant Roland's case."

"Like how Shirley likes speed and Eila likes fortune-telling…you're right."

"Yeah," Mio concluded, "magic comes from the heart. It might just naturally be that way."

"I see…"

"So the reason Yoshika can use healing magic might be because she's so kind," Lynette said.

_Except when you're making her mad,_ Roland added to himself.

"Ah, I don't think so," Yoshika informed them. "My mother and grandmother can also use healing magic, so…"

"Oh, really?" Lynette asked.

"Yes. It's probably just because I'm like them."

Mio chuckled as she added in, "…But the strength of your magic is probably not like theirs at all, right?"

"Ah…maybe so…" Yoshika chuckled nervously.

"And they probably don't control their magic as badly as you do either."

"Ugh…"

"I wonder whose side of Lieutenant Roland's family he got his magic from…" Lynette mused.

"Best not to ask…" Roland said (thankfully, his tongue had recovered, so no need to have to put down what they were hearing). He was still working out why he even had magic in the first place given his home dimension.

"And now…" Mio said for a final comment. "One hundred sit-ups!"

"Eh?!" Yoshika and Lynette both said in surprise. The little Fuso Witch added in, "Um…are magic control and sit-ups related in any way…?"

Roland shook his head as Mio gave her response: "No!" The major then laughed.

"Eh?!" The sergeants were even more surprised.

"Start!"

The girls and Roland scrambled to get into sit-up position as they got going on them.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**...and that's why it's a bad idea to send people with dumb luck on wild goose chases: they always seem to bring something back with them. And-**

**Oh. Back again?**

**Sorry, Lio and I were having a discussion to pass the time. Didn't really see you coming until now.**

**_These are words, not pictures. You don't have eyes here._**

**...Anyways, sorry about that.**

**Anything else? I guess not.**

**Other than that, please read and respond and let me know what you think of this tale.**

**Thanks, and I will see you guys in the next chapter.**


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